23 May, 2012

Shabu One 鼎旺 @ Lot 10 Shopping Centre, Bukit Bintang, KL

Upon the purchase of the deal from Groupon at RM19.90, I get to sample the steamboat buffet at Shabu One which is worth RM30.80.

#2 Inviting Setting at Shabu One

The modern furniture here is all in bright colors, but the dining utensils are in black. It looks really presentable but it kinda gives me a creep because I’d never know how ‘clean’ it is.

Shabu One offers delicious recipes to guide you on making the ultimate sauce:

Shabu One Special Signature Sauce (鼎旺至尊酱): Highly recommended!

Spicy Sauce (脆辣酱)

Passion Fruit Sauce (香果酱)

Drunk Sauce (醉仙酱)

Preserved Beancurd with Garlic Sauce (腐乳葱香酱)

Traditional Sauce (传统酱料)

Szechuan Sauce (四川酱料)

Pepper Sauce (椒麻酱)

#3 Chicken VS Tom Yam

The restaurant serves 4 types of steamboat broth; Tom Yam, Chicken Soup, Herbal Soup and Mah Lat (Hot Spicy) Soup. We select the usual chicken soup and tom yam. The chicken soup is more like chicken stock soup while the tom yam soup is more of spiciness than being spicy sour.

#4 Processed Food Stuff

The steamboat buffet line consists of mainly meatballs, fishballs, bean curds, sausages and all kinds of processed meat. Among all, I love the fish noodle the most, which is fresh unlike other frozen ones.

#5 Neatly Arranged Ingredients

#6 Colorful Vegetables

On the healthy side, they offer varieties of greens but to my disappointment they’re not fresh enough, especially those in purple! I'd want to go for the really green ones only.

#7 Buffet Bar of Vegetables

#8 Plates of Crabs

I pick some crab--- only skinny legs are available.

But then again I have to give it a pass no matter how cooked it is done.

#9 Seafood

Along the long counter in the middle where the steamboat ingredients are placed, the clams and shells are nicely arranged. Many have commented that their food stuff is fresh, but I experience a total different thing the other day. Well, perhaps that's a mere bad luck for me.

#10 The Squid Family

#11 The Clams and Cockles

#12 Quail Eggs

Quail eggs are my favourite during steamboat, despite of its high content of cholesterol. I believe this mighty one can be used to make the broth better in taste.

And... they also offer a few varieties of pre-prepared food mainly of Chinese and Taiwanese styles. Some of them are good, and in fact taste better than the steamboat itself!

#14 Minced Meat in Soy Sauce

#15 Long Jing Tea Eggs

I didn’t sample the Chinese-styled tea eggs despite of the strong herbal aroma from the broth, but I’ve tried some not-so-fresh curry fish balls.

#16 Curry Fish Balls

#17 Crispy Mini Buns

#18 Crispy Mini Bun in Half

This bun has a really crispy skin on the outside, and fluffy inside. It looks quite interesting for me, but still a few is fine, else I’d be bloated. Best served while hot.

#19 Honey Roasted Chicken Wings

To my surprise, this is awesomely good, with all the flavours absorbed into the bird. It tastes like some Halal Chinese Pork Char Siew! I’d wish to take another piece but it runs out fast without anyone replenishing this dish.

#20 Noodles

Here are the Assorted Noodles; There are lots of assortments but people rarely touch this no matter how much one loves eating noodles.

#21 Assorted Ice Cream

Vanilla with chocolate chips tops my list, while other flavours include coffee, strawberry vanilla, honey dew, chocolate and sweet corn. This is the only thing that I want to keep having, amongst all the food at Shabu One.

#22 Taiwanese Ai Yu Jelly

#23 Konnyaku Jelly

#24 Grass Jelly in Bowl

#25 Coconut Pudding

#26 Mango Pudding

Verdict:1. Steamboat is just a steamboat after all; nothing much to emphasize on.2. The bright side is that, the staff replenishes the food quickly, with new stuff especially on the pre-prepared food section.3. It may not be the best steamboat but it’s a bargain for students and family so that kids can happily choose what they love.

RM19.90 is about the same price we pay for the buffet steamboat here...but this one has a whole lot of things, definitely a whole lot nicer...definitely worth it but at the original price of RM30+, I think I would give it a miss.

It's been a while since I had steamboat, but I don't know why I'm thinking of the Japanese version of it. Agreed with SmittenbyFood; would rather have it at home when you can choose the ingredients that you want. =D

Oh, you should've tasted the Long Jing tea eggs; it's yummy. It may have a strong aroma of the herbs, but it still has the taste of an egg for me.

It seems like there are some really affordable prices here. I would love to try the chicken wings as they are a great colour and I'm sure they would be full of flavour. Interesting how no one tries the noodles! I love noodles and I'm sure I would have chosen some xx

never ever try this shop! there are cockroach around! worst the cockroach even crawl up to our table and eat our food! yucks!! and the food are not fresh at all..even all the bowls and plates are not clean!! never go and try!